LSB responds to consultation by revising plans for regulation of special bodies – Legal Services Board

“Special bodies – including not-for profit agencies and community interest companies –
providing reserved legal activities will not become licensed under the Legal Services Act 2007
until at least April 2015, the LSB confirms today [5 December].”

Full story (PDF)

Legal Services Board, 5th December 2012

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

UK Tour Lawcast #1: Andrew Hopper QC on the regulation of solicitors by the SRA – Charon QC

“Today I talk with Andrew Hopper QC about the regulatory framework for solicitors, the Code of Practice, the strengths and shortcomings of the Solicitors regulation Authority and the need for legal education to be improved with good training for prospective lawyers in ethics – the morals and not simply the rules.”

Podcast

Charon QC, 31st October 2012

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of insitelaw newswire.

SRA wins appeal for dishonesty strike-off – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority has successfully appealed to the High Court to have a lawyer struck off the roll for dishonesty, overturning an ‘unduly lenient’ Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal verdict.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th October 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Can sole practitioners survive in the new legal marketplace? – The Guardian

“Sole practitioners have been having a hard time in the wake of the Legal Services Act 2007, which opened the door for alternative business structures (ABSs). These new forms of legal practice have given household names like the Co-op and the AA the opportunity to expand their legal offerings to consumers and have allowed law firms to be managed and owned by non-lawyers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Tesco law’ approvals hit double figures as big-name applicants face delay frustration – Legal Week

“The number of alternative business structures (ABS) approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) reached double figures last week, as a group of high-profile applicants continue to wait for their licence confirmation.”

Full story

Legal Week, 3rd August 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Regulators agree to share more information – Bar Standards Board

“Regulators from across the legal, accountancy, financial and property sectors have signed a formal agreement that will allow even greater sharing of information.”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 4th May 2012

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Wait for ABSs is over: Tesco law is here – The Guardian

“Alternative business structures will bring subtle, but significant changes in the way law is practised.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd April 2012

Souce: www.guardian.co.uk

SRA confirms debut trio of licensed alternative business structures – Legal Week

“The first three alternative business structures (ABS) to be licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been confirmed today (March 28), as the reforms ushered in by the Legal Services Act continue to gather pace.”

Full story

Legal Week, 28th March 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Agreement reached on QASA – Bar Standards Board

“Agreement on a joint scheme to assure the quality of criminal advocacy has been reached by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Bar Standards Board (BSB) and ILEX Professional Standards (IPS).”

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 23rd March 2012

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Regulators approve new scheme to measure quality at criminal Bar – Legal Week

“A controversial new scheme for criminal barristers that could see QCs paid the same as leading juniors is a step closer to coming into effect after being approved by a trio of legal regulators.”

Full story

Legal Week, 26th March 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Outrage at £2.60 wage proposal for trainees – Law Society’s Gazette

“Trainee solicitors could be paid as little as £2.60 an hour in their first year under an amendment to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s proposals for ending the minimum wage. The Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) today condemned the move as another step towards making the legal profession the ‘preserve of the rich’.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 21st March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Djanogly: Reform to solicitors to give UK consumers greater choice – Ministry of Justice

“UK consumers and businesses will find solicitors’ firms more competitive, more accessible and more efficient following new reforms to legal services. From today, radical reforms to the legal sector are being accelerated by the addition of the Solicitors Regulation Authority to the licensing authorities for the new Alternative Business Structures (ABSs).”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 3rd January 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

New vetting of solicitors procedure ‘unfair’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 6th, 2011 in cautions, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, vetting by sally

“New rules take effect today that could see aspiring solicitors barred from entering the profession because of a police caution or penalty notice.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 6th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitors’ clients too often overcharged and left in dark, regulator says – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2011 in fees, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

“Customers who go to law firms are too often left in ignorance about progress in their case then burdened with a huge bill at the end of proceeedings, according to the chief executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

SRA probes solicitors’ handling of Hackgate – The Lawyer

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has launched a formal investigation into the role played by solicitors in the News International phone-hacking scandal.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 22nd July 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Regulator to miss October deadline for ABSs – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that the Solicitors Regulation Authority will miss its 6 October deadline for an ABS licence.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 18th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

ABS timetable in danger of slipping – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Solicitors Regulation Authority may not be ready to license alternative business structures from the target date of 6 October.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Solicitor advocates make final effort to halt scheme – Law Society’s Gazette

“Solicitor advocates have made a final effort to stop a scheme that will see judges evaluating their competence, which they claim would discriminate against solicitors.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

LSB consults on appeal arrangements for SRA as a licensing authority – Legal Services Board

“The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today published a consultation on proposals to establish the appeals mechanism in relation to decisions made by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) should it be designated as a Licensing Authority under the Alternative Business Structures (ABS) framework. Annexed to the consultation is an impact assessment.”

Full story

Legal Services Board, 5th May 2011

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

New rules for solicitors focus on ends, not means – The Guardian

Posted April 7th, 2011 in legal ombudsman, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

“Changes in regulation to emphasise outcomes that solicitors need to deliver for clients, rather than how they achieve them.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th April 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk